diegesis

[dahy-uh-jee-sis]

noun, plural di·e·ge·ses [dahy-uh-jee-seez] /ˌdaɪ əˈdʒi siz/. (in literature, film, etc.)

the telling of a story by a narrator who summarizes events in the plot and comments on the conversations, thoughts, etc., of the characters.
the sphere or world in which these narrated events and other elements occur.

Compare mimesis(def 2).

Origin of diegesis

1800–10; < Greek diēgēsis ‘a narrative’, derivative of diēgeisthai ‘to describe, narrate’ < dia- dia- + hēgeîsthai ‘to guide’

Related formsdi·e·get·ic

[dahy-uh-jet-ik] /ˌdaɪ əˈdʒɛt ɪk/, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for diegesis

Historical Examples of diegesis

A surgeon has bought the 'Diegesis', and tendered me half a sovereign to give him a private lecture to-morrow evening.
The Battle of The Press
Theophila Carlile Campbell